"I suck at keeping a proper lookout"... is no defense...
you lose and you pay...

*Hey... you could choose to go back to starboard to get through the fleet.
You can choose to slow down and pick your way through the port tack fleet when you are on port and upwind...
Pedal to the Metal is a choice...

All of these rules discussions should have a take home point... that lets the sailors know what Should of or Could have been done in that situation.

What you are doing is trying to understand how to race sailboats by reading the rule book and protests decisions and this is a bad way to move forward.